Dear CPS Parents & Community Members,

I am thrilled to be starting the 2020-21 school year as CPS Principal! There is a lot of planning to complete this summer as we prepare to welcome students back to school in the fall. I am up for the challenge and eager to get started.

As of July 1, Governor Baker's recommendation is for students to return to classrooms in person with many safety precautions from the commissioner's Initial Fall School Reopening Guidance document. Our district is forming several committees to address the state's suggestions for returning to school. The trends in Covid-19 cases in Massachusetts this summer will also be a factor in determining which model we actually implement on September 8.

We will need your help and input as I cannot do this alone. Each Monday this summer, I will email a Weekly Whaler bulletin with updates on summer planning progress. Then, later in the week, I plan to hold a weekly parent forum or 'office hour' to answer questions and gather thoughts, ideas, and opinions. In addition, the CPS School Council will be meeting to not only review our return to school plans, but also work on updating other documents that are typically updated each summer: the CPS Student Handbook, the CPS Program of Studies, and the CPS Improvement Plan.

I am fortunate to have two dedicated Admin Interns to help me get started on these important projects: Adriene Lombardi and Tracy Mailloux. I will also be leaning heavily on the CPS staff to be flexible and creative to deliver high quality lessons and activities within unique circumstances. We can only do this together and I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish as a team of parents, teachers, and community members!

Sincerely,

Michael Horton
CPS Principal
hortonm@npsk.org
(508) 228-7283 x1401